EngineerHer

Over the weekend, I was reading – as you do – the 2023 McKinsey report into Women in the Workplace. (I know, there are times I wonder about my life priorities as well). And, it got me thinking.

Now, I have my problems with McKinsey as an organisation, but their research is usually not argued with. So, when they come out with figures like:

• women and men at director level are equally ambitions
• 90% of women under 30 are looking to get promoted to the next level
• 75% of women under 30 are looking to become senior leaders

Well, I have a tendency to believe them. And when they add in the “broken rung” issue – women just aren’t getting promoted at the same rate as men are, and it’s worse for women of colour – some things just start to make sense.

But what has that got to do with selfishness?

This ties in to a meeting I had with a newly seconded engineer and his manager. The manager was telling the new engineer to be selfish for the next 18 months because, frankly, he needed to milk the secondment for all its worth. The manager is right.

And this applies to all stages of career, by the way. If you are ambitious and you want to climb the career ladder, you kinda need to be intentional about your aims and goals.

Now, I didn’t do this. I was quite happy pootling about, getting paid crap, doing the admin, the easy bits, all that sorts of thing for years. It’s not the end of the world. In my cause, I was sorting out many, many personal issues. You may just need to focus on something other than career for a while. Honestly – it’s your life, you get to the decide what you do with it. Within certain limits anyway.

But if you are career focused and advancement is the way to go, then be selfish. Seriously.

As women, we are often taught to be the “nice girl”, to get along with everyone, to worry too much about what other people think. And ok, yes, it is vital to get on with people in the workplace. No one wants to be known as the awkward bitch who never helps out. But there are very definitely things you can do to keep your own goals in mind.

Don’t be the Mammy

Seriously. I did this a few times and it doesn’t help your career. Absolutely, be friendly to people in work, help them out, if you’re putting the kettle on, let people know. But don’t be taking the morning coffee morning every morning. Don’t be the one bringing in cakes every week. Don’t take on the “social admin” – organising the office outings; the decorations for various birthdays/ comings/ goings/ events.

If it’s part of your job description, then sure, fire ahead. But I’d be shocked if you had that sort of thing in your job description as an engineer. Be selfish. Help out – but set your boundaries about what you’re willing to do and when you’re willing to do it.

For example, I have a strong rule for the last decade or so: I refuse point blank to cut the cake at any celebration in work. Seriously. I work mostly in all-male teams and this became a hard and fast rule when I asked one day why I was the one doing this all the time… and got some very embarrassed muttering back.

There are plenty of people who think that line is too far – and for them, it might be – but for me, it works. Decide on your boundaries and go with it.

Related issues…

Equally, don’t be the one organising refreshments for important meetings. Don’t always take the minutes for all the meetings. Don’t be the one managing the milk for coffees supply. Don’t organise the supplies cupboard.

Not unless it’s part of your job description.

More career oriented

On to more career oriented matters then.

Make a plan for what skills you want to develop in the coming 1-2 years and then go after opportunities to gain those skills. Have the open conversations with your manager where you state out plainly, “this is what I want to do in the coming year. These are my career aspirations. This is what I need from you.”

Honestly, your manager will probably be delighted to have someone coming with something other than “ah sure everything’s grand, I’ll keep going as I am”. Managers usually have targets for development and if you show you’re willing to put the work in, they’ll be delighted.

I know I always am.

Volunteer for projects as well. Yes, it can be a lot of extra work, but it can be worth it as well. Is there a new EAMS/ CMMS coming in and they need someone from your department? Jump in there. It will give you a great understanding of systems and processes. (Don’t tell them, but the basics of most of the systems are the exact same).

Is there a new quality system coming in? Offer to help implement it. Again – the understanding, the skills from working with a cross functional team, the networking opportunities… not to mention these teams are usually small enough that senior leaders get to know your name.

Does your team have a monthly connect with senior leaders that everyone hates? Now there’s a bit of admin that’s worth taking on! Volunteer to present it and collate the slides for it. Getting your face known is a great help.

A big VIP visit coming up and the organisation is looking for people to walk the VIP around your area? Volunteer.

Pick the projects and meetings and the rest that suit you, and step forward.

The danger of the comfort zone

Especially as women, stepping forward like this isn’t comfortable. But here’s thing – change doesn’t usually happen in our comfort zones. Yes, it can get nice and cozy there alright. You get in a groove, things are going well.

You know what another word for a groove is? A rut. And the difference can be minute.

There are times when life outside work means we need to stay in the comfort zone. Health issues, family issues, all these sorts of things come first, of course they do.

But they’re not always the issue. Sometimes, we can use these things as excuses. So make sure to question yourself about the comfort zone.

Finally

And this is probably the best bit of advice in this post:

If you meet 50% of the “requirements” in a job description, you’re good to apply.

Seriously.

Look, I’ve written dozens of those damn things and honestly, most of the time, we’re chancing our arm. That old joke about there’s the job description and then there’s the job is extremely accurate.

So, never, ever, ever let not meeting all the requirements on those job descriptions hold you back from applying. What’s the worst that can happen? You might get the job???